Utility meters for measuring utilities, such as electricity, gas and water, are known. Typically the usage of a utility is visually indicated by the meter and periodically, such as once a month, a meter reader person is sent to read the meter and thereby determine the amount of utility usage. In some proposed systems, rather than sending a meter reader to read each individual meter's visual display, the meter reading is transmitted to some central location on a periodic or aperiodic basis along with an ID code identifying the specific utility meter. In that way, the central location can calculate the amount of utility usage without sending a meter reader to each meter's visual display location.
While utility meter reading systems such as those described above are feasible, adding the transmission electronics to a standard utility meter generally involves extensive redesign of the utility meter to incorporate the transmission electronics within the utility meter housing. Also the required antenna size and power source make it impractical and non-economical to provide a system which operates at low frequencies, such as in the VHF band. Thus what is needed is a convenient and economical way of adding meter data transmission electronics, preferably battery operated, electronics to existing utility meters to provide an automated system which does not require a meter reader person to physically visit each meter and view its visual display.
In the field of module housing mounting, typically it is desired to provide such mounting with a minimum amount of effort and a minimum amount of mounting apparatus to thereby minimize the cost of mounting a module housing. Prior module mounting systems have involved the use of screws or clamps or other additional hardware and this additional hardware undesirable adds to the cost of the mounting assembly and the labor involved in mounting a module as part of an assembly. Thus, an improved module mounting apparatus and assembly is desired which minimizes the need for additional mounting apparatus and is economical and involves a minimum of installation labor.